Judgement
by TyphoonSignal10
Summary: The Shepards flee Plegia Castle, the fire emblem in the grasp of king Validar. As Chrom and his army move to engage his plans. Lucina moves to engage a different enemy entirely.
1. Judgement

**A/N: This is basically just Chrom arriving five-ten minutes later. Kayla is the name for the player character/Robin/Avatar.**

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 _I fucked up._ There was no anger in the thought, just a sense of resignation. The anger had dissipated a long time ago, through punches and screaming in her tent. Kayla had always found that a good scream helped with pent-up emotions, or at least, she had in the last two and a half years or so. Now she was just sitting on a log in a clearing, surrounded by autumn leaves, staring at the sunset, wishing she could turn back time to before she handed the fire emblem, their last hope, over to her fath- Validar. That snake was not her father, and it helped no one for her to think of him that way.

"Beg pardon, Kayla. Might I have a word?"

Lucina's voice jolted Kayla from her thoughts.

"Of course, Lucina. What is it?" Kayla twisted slightly on the log, so as to be able to see Lucina better.

"It's about my father."

 _Of course it is._ Kayla quickly dismissed the uncharitable thought. Although it sometimes seemed that Lucina only ever wanted to talk to her about Chrom, Kayla had long since realised that Lucina had had very little time to spend with her father as a child and was compensating for it now. _Over-compensating, maybe?_

Lucina continued speaking, unaware of Kayla's inner monologue. "I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before he... died."

"I see... Is this going somewhere Lucina?"

"He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him. People say he was brave right up until the very end."

 _Get to the point already._

"I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do... I can see that the world will be robbed of a very great man... I won't allow that to happen."

"I understand." Kayla said, "You love him... We all do. I promise you that I won't allow that to happen either."

Lucina shook her head, "Kayla, I... Please, forgive me..."

A soft ringing filled the air as Falchion left its scabbard. Lucina levelled her blade at Kayla's chest. Reacting almost on instinct, Kayla practically leapt up from her seated position, away from Lucina. One hand automatically went to the hilt of her own sword, but she did not draw it, not yet...

"Lucina?!"

"Stay where you are, Kayla!" There was strength in the younger woman's voice, but also an element of unease. "I have no choice." She continued, "I must kill you."

"What?! What are you talking about Lucina?" Kayla's mind was turning over inside her head, considering all the possible reasons and motives behind Lucina's actions, dismissing each one as it was found wanting. At the same time she was also assessing her surroundings and weighing her options. Her mind whittled the reasons down to one possible conclusion, just as Lucina spoke, confirming the theory.  
"In my future, you... You killed my father."

"No, that's insane! Why would I kill Chrom?" Kayla spoke to extend the conversation, to gain time.

 _Is it really insane though? You know that you can't always control yourself. You saw what your father could do to you, with you. And the dreams..._

"I was not certain myself, until now... I knew only that he had been killed by the person he believed to be his closest friend. Having witnessed your bond with him, I doubted it could be so... But today's events have made it clear."

 _They have, haven't they._

"You are at Validar's mercy." The unease from before had diminished, it was now almost non-existent. "I suspect it is he who forces you to take my father's life, and very soon..."

"Lucina, wait."

"If my father is right, then we can change our fates. If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made. I am sorry, Kayla! I know this is murder, I... I know that..."

"Lucina, you don't have to-"

Don't make this any harder than it already is! Don't resist, and your death will be swift and painless. If you hold any love for Chrom, then let this be done."

 _No! You cannot just let her kill you! This cannot happen!_

"I do love Chrom, Lucina. But I cannot just let you kill me." Kayla drew her sword slightly, an inch of silver metal gleaming between the mouth of the scabbard and the crossguard.

Lucina wilted slightly. "I understand... Then draw your weapon! We shall let battle have final have the final judgement!"

Kayla's blade cleared its scabbard. "So be it." Sliding her right leg behind her, she dropped into a fighting stance. Opposite her, Lucina held Falchion parallel to the ground in a two-handed grip, level with her shoulders.

There was a momentary pause, as though nature itself was holding its breath in anticipation. Then Lucina surged forwards and the clearing rang with the sound of metal on metal. The two women leapt back from each other, each assessing the other's stance and guard for weaknesses.

 _Think. You know Lucina's fighting style. You utilise it against the appropriate opponents all the time. What are the weaknesses? What are the strengths? How does she lead? When does she fall back? Where does she leave herself open?_

The blades clashed again and again, raising up sparks. Eventually Kayla's guard began slipping, Falchion began finding openings, small wounds opened up along her forearms. Kayla knew she wasn't as good a swordswoman as her blue-haired opponent and began to fall back under Lucina's ferocious assault.

More and more, Lucina slipped past her guard, only quick reflexes saving Kayla from serious injuries. She began to tire, she began to feel weak as sweat mixed with blood from a thousand tiny cuts.

Lucina drew back her arm and swung Falchion in a devastating arc. Kayla brought her own blade up to block it. Falchion met silver and found it wanting. Kayla's sword snapped in half and Falchion continued along its deadly path, biting deep into Kayla's side just below her ribs. Kayla screamed in pain, startling what few birds remained in the trees. Lucina pulled the blade out, intending to finish her opponent off.

"I'm sorry, Kayla." Lucina raised her sword above her head, clearly aiming to bring it down on Kayla. Kayla reached inside her robes and pulled out the first thing she found.

A tome. Arcwind.

The glyphs formed in the air between Kayla and Lucina. Kayla felt a rush of power and the magic exploded outwards, launching Lucina across the clearing, and smashing her into a tree. She fell to the ground, unmoving.

 _Shit._

Kayla felt her vision growing dark as more blood poured out of her side. As she toppled forward into unconsciousness, she heard fast approaching footsteps and Chrom's voice.

"LUCINA!"

 _SHIT._

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 **A/N: This is only chapter one, more to come. Please leave a review if you liked it.**


	2. Deception

**A/N: Chapter 2 is here.**

 **Mike AZ 2: They both have explaining to do, but whether or not they will be in any position to do so is another question entirely.**

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"Healer! I need a Healer!" Chrom ran into the Ylissean camp, Lucina under his right arm, Kayla over his right shoulder, her blood staining his cape. Soldiers stopped their dismantling of the camp and stared as he passed, one or two of the brighter souls rushing off to find a healer.

"Father! Are you ok? What's the matt- Oh gods, Lucy!"

Chrom looked up as his other daughter came charging to meet him. "Cynthia, I need you to go and find your Aunt Lissa, or Maribelle, or Libra. Tell them that Lucina and Kayla are grievously injured and need help. Go!"

"Y-yes sir!" Cynthia attempted to salute before haring off in such of help, for once managing not to slip up and fall flat on her face. Once she was out of sight, Chrom practically fell to his knees, Lucina and Kayla nearly slipping from his grasp.

"Milord!" Fredrick appeared at Chrom's side, the tireless knight taking Kayla's limp form off Chrom's shoulder and laying her on the floor. "Sire, what happened?"

Chrom laid Lucina next to Kayla and was about to respond when he saw his sister and Libra approaching at speed, staffs in hand. "Later, Frederick. When we're alone."

If Fredrick found this request to be in anyway unusual, he showed no sign of it. "As you wish, sire."

Frederick helped Chrom to his feet, and the two men stood back as the sage and the war monk went to work.

"Is my daughter going to be okay?" Chrom asked.

Libra barely turned his head, "I believe so, sire. She has a broken shoulder, multiple bruises and perhaps a mild concussion. Nothing too serious. I would be more concerned about lady Kayla's wounds." Chrom glanced over to where his sister was attempting to stem the flow of blood from Kayla's side and forehead. "Sire, if I may – what attacked them? Was it Risen?"

"Yes. Risen." Chrom sounds dazed.

"Sire, did they get you too?" There is a note of concern in Libra's voice.

"No. No. I'm just a little tired, from carrying these two all the way back here. Frederick, if you could help me to my tent?"

"At once, milord." Chrom threw one arm across Frederick's shoulders and the two men set off at a slow pace towards Chrom's tent.

"Milord, what happened? I do not believe that Risen were responsible for the wounds I saw."

Chrom sat on a nearby stool. "Check outside Frederick, make sure no one is nearby." Frederick stuck his head through the opening of the tent.

"The coast is clear, milord. I feel as though I must ask, why the need for such secrecy?"

Chrom sighed heavily, resting his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. "They did it to each other, Frederick."

"Milord?" Chrom looked up to the unusual sight of Frederick, startled.

"When I found them, Kayla launched Lucina into a tree, then collapsed. I don't know why they were fighting, but there was definite intent to kill. Kayla's sword was already shattered on the floor."

"Sire, are you certain that-"

"Yes, Frederick! I am certain. Lucina would not leave wounds like that on Kayla if she did not intend to kill her, and Kayla would not reach for her magic if she did not intend to kill." He sighed, "The secrecy was necessitated by a need to keep this army together. If word got out that Kayla and Lucina were so greatly at odds-"

"The army might just tear itself apart." Frederick finished Chrom's sentence for him.

"Precisely."

Frederick looked pensive. "Sumia, Cynthia, Lissa, Kellam and Owain would most likely side with Lucina. Perhaps Cordelia, Lon'qu and Severa as well. On the other hand, Morgan, Stahl and Say'ri would side with Kayla, along with Tharja, Gregor and Noire. Perhaps Panne as well. The others-"

"Would have to choose where their loyalties lie. It would be a bloodbath." Chrom stood up. "I cannot let that happen, Frederick. We cannot afford for it to happen."

"I understand, sire."

"Until one of them wakes up and is able to explain themselves, this must stay secret."

"I understand, milord."

"Chrom." Sumia's voice enters the tent, shortly followed by Sumia herself, and Cynthia. "Chrom. What's happened? Lissa told me that Lucina was injured by Risen."

Chrom and Frederick exchanged glances. "Yes." Chrom felt a twisting feeling in his gut as he lied, "I arrived before the Risen could kill them, but not in time to prevent injury."

"How could Risen defeat Lucy?" Cynthia asked, "And Kayla? They're both so strong."

"There were a lot of them Cynthia, and from the smell and dust piles, many more had fallen before I got there."

"Will she be okay, Chrom?" The worry in Sumia's voice was palpitable.

"Libra said she will. Apparently she has minor injuries at worst."

Sumia sighs in relief, "And what about Kayla?"

Chrom was about to reply when Libra entered the tent. Bowing, the monk cleared his throat to speak. "Sire, your daughter is awake."

Chrom stands. "Lucina's awake?"

"That is what I said, Sire. She is a little groggy, and her shoulder is inconveniencing her, but she seems otherwise the picture of health."

"Yaaay! Lucy's better!" Cynthia pushed past Libra and dashed off in the direction of the medical tent. Moments later a thudding sound was heard, indicating that she had fallen flat on her face.

"Cynthia, try not to injure yourself." Sumia dashed off after her daughter. A similar thudding sound was soon heard. "Ow. That one hurt."

"Sire. Surely you wish to see your daughter awake as well?"

Chrom nodded, heart in his mouth. He wanted to see his daughter. He also wanted answers.


	3. Confession

When Chrom entered the medical tent, Cynthia and Sumia were already gathered at Lucina's bedside. Glancing over at Kayla's bed, Chrom saw Morgan, Stahl and Say'ri arranged in a similar formation. Kayla's son, her husband, and her-

Chrom shook his head. The peculiarities of Kayla's personal life were not important right now, he had other things to focus on.

"Lucy!" Cynthia was crying. Grabbing Lucina around the shoulders, she drew her older sister into a hug. Lucina hissed in pain.

"Cynthia! Shoulder!"

"Sorry! Sorry! I thought the Risen might have killed you."

"Risen..." Lucina caught her father's eye and recognised what she saw there. "Yes, the Risen. There were so many of them."

Chrom nodded, his daughter wasn't stupid. She had clearly realised what had happened while she was unconscious. She knew what was on his mind.

Leaving his wife and younger daughter to deal with Lucina, Chrom approached Kayla's bedside.

"How is she?"

Say'ri was the one to reply. "She is a fighter, prince Chrom, these wounds will not defeat her." The swordmaster sounded confident, but the worry in her eyes belied the conviction of her words.

Morgan spoke next, his usual cheery manner somewhat subdued. "Mum'll survive this. I'm still here aren't I? If she died, I wouldn't be born, so I wouldn't be here." Chrom saw Lucina flinch in the corner of his vision. "I'm still here, so she'll pull through, right?" Stahl ruffled his son's hair.

"Say'ri's right, your mum's a fighter, she'll beat this."

Chrom sighed, he didn't want to have to do this. "Stahl, Say'ri, I need to ask you to leave the tent."

The reactions were predictable. "Sir?"

"I will not leave Kayla's side."

Chrom raised his hands, "I need to talk to my daughter, alone. It shouldn't take long."

There was a moment's tension, then Say'ri nodded, "Very well, should any harm come to Kayla, I will hold you responsible." She stood and exited the tent, closely followed by Stahl and Morgan.

Cynthia and Sumia were slightly harder to convince to leave, but eventually, after much hugging of Lucina, Chrom was left alone with Frederick and his daughter.

"Frederick, check that we're alone." Once Frederick had confirmed that this was the case, Chrom turned his attention to his daughter. "How's your shoulder, Lucina?"

"Still sore, father. I believe I have Libra to thank."

Chrom nodded, "He does excellent work." He exhaled heavily. "What happened, Lucina? I heard the sounds of fighting, and when I arrived, Kayla was hurling you at a tree. You were fighting each other, why? Who started it?"

Lucina shifted slightly in the bed. "I started it, father."

Chrom slumped slightly. It was his daughter's fault. "Why?"

Lucina struggled upright in the bed, wincing slightly as she put weight on her injured shoulder. "In the future, she murders you."

"What?! That's ridiculous. Kayla would never do that."

"Not willingly, maybe. But you saw what Validar did. How Kayla was completely under his control. If he can make her take the fire emblem from you, how hard could it be for him to make her kill you. She is at his mercy."

"So you tried to kill her." It is a statement, not a question.

"Yes. I tried to make it quick, painless. But she fought back."

"Of course she did. You know Kayla, when has she ever surrendered or resigned herself to anything. Did you really expect anything else?"

"No, not really. You're angry, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm angry. My daughter tried to kill my best friend."

"I did it for you!" Lucina was shouting now.

"No! If you meant to do it for me, you would have told me first. You knew I wouldn't approve, that's why you went behind my back." Lucina hung her head in shame.

"You were blinded by your friendship, you would never have seen the danger until it was too late."

"Lucina, I know your heart is in the right place. But I trust Kayla. You cannot shake my faith in her."

"That trust will be the death of you!"

"Enough! Kayla and I have held fast through good times and ill. We swore to be two halves of a greater whole. Validar will not come between us. I believe more in the bonds we have forged, than in some vague, foretold 'destiny.'"

"You can only say this because you haven't seen it for yourself."

"Lucina, aren't our ties stronger here now than they were in your future? You said so yourself. In this flow of time we are bound tighter than ever, you and I. Not just as father and daughter, but as friends. We can change things – we already have, and we will again. We changed the fate of an entire continent, we can change the fate of two people."

"So you say, I thought I had changed the fate of the exalt, but I had merely postponed it. What if this happens again with you and Kayla. If we have merely postponed the betrayal and murder, what then?"

"We will face that when we come to it." Chrom sighed, "Do you realise what you have done, Lucina? The problems you have given me? Should anyone find out what happened between the two of you, the army will likely tear itself apart. Furthermore, we are to approach the dragon's table, and Validar, without our tactician. The Shepherds rely on Kayla for our tactics. Without her, who will decide our path?"

"We could always ask Morgan, milord." Chrom had almost forgotten Frederick's presence. "Whilst not as adept as his mother, he has learnt quickly from her. Surely he would be our best option."

"You make a good point, Frederick. I'll have Morgan come to my tent to discuss this." Turning to Lucina, Chrom continued speaking, "Lucina, you stay here and rest, we'll need every blade possible at the table." Chrom and Frederick stood to leave. Chrom placed a hand on the knight's shoulder and spoke quietly. "I need you to stay here, Frederick. I need you to make sure Lucina doesn't try to kill Kayla again." Chrom left the tent, leaving Frederick and Lucina behind him.

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 **A/N: Please remember to leave a review telling me what you liked and didn't like about the chapter. Thank you.**


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